Yakushi legends 03 Chiba Ehime

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Yakushipedia - ABC-Index 薬師如来 .
. Yakushi Nyorai - Legends from the provinces .
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Yakushi Nyorai 薬師如来 and
legends from Chiba 千葉県 and Ehime 愛媛県

..............................................................................................................................................



来福寺 Raifuku-Ji - Tateyama

.......................................................................
安房郡 Awa district 鋸南町 Kyonan

Yakushi no reigen 薬師の霊験 the miracle of Yakushi
Once upon a time, a maidservant from a home in 房州勝山 Katsuyama, who was a strog believer in Yakushi Nyorai, braided her hair when suddenly flames and sparkles started to flutter all around. Her master got angry about this and threw her out. His rich wife begun to have one child after the other. In a dream the woman learned that she should start caring for ill people to end her fate of having too many babies. So she had a hospital built near the temple of Yakushi.


.......................................................................
Inzai Matsumushi, 印西市 松虫 - Matsumushidera 松虫寺

The temple has been founded in 745 on request of 聖武天皇 Emperor Shomu Tenno by 僧行基 Priest Gyoki Bosatsu.

Shichibutsu Yakushi 七仏薬師如来 Seven Yakushi Statues



千葉県印西市松虫 / Matsumushi, Inzai, 印旛 Inba, Chiba
七仏薬師 瑠璃光如来 Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai.
The statues were made in the early Heian period, probably by the same carver. The combination of six standing and one seated Yakushi is very rare.
One more is at 滋賀県の鶏足寺 Keisoku-Ji in Shiga.

松虫姫伝説 - Legend of Princess Matsumushi
The third daughter of Emperor 聖武天皇 Shomu Tenno, called Princess Matsumushi Hime, was very ill and her father sent her to this temple to pray to Yakushi Nyorai. She was eventually healed. She planted her tsue 杖 walking staff in the garden and from it a 銀杏 Gingko tree begun to sprout.
The temple and the village around it started to use her name, Matsumushi.

. Shichibutsu Yakushi　七仏薬師 / 七佛薬師 Seven Yakushi Statues .
- Introduction -


.......................................................................
成田市 Narita 遠山村 Toyama

tanishi タニシ mud snails
Once there was a great fire at the temple of Yakushi, but all the mud snails from the fields around came shielding the statue of Yakushi from being burned.
Since then the villagers of Toyama village do not harvest and eat these mud snails any more.
In effect, Yakushi had helped the mud snails !

. tanishi 田螺 / たにし mud snails .


.......................................................................
猿島郡 Sashima district 五霞町 Goka

Yakushi-ana 薬師穴 Yakushi cave
Once there lived 山姥 an old mountain hag in the Yakushi cave. She was lending zenwan 膳椀 bowls and trays to the needy.
Once a farmer broke one piece and did not bring another in exchange. Since then she stopped lending.

. zenwanbuchi 膳椀淵 "river pool for trays and bowls" .
in various regions of Japan

.......................................................................

- - - - - - - - - - Looking for Yakushi-ana I found

穴薬師古墳 Ana Yakushi kofun
茨城県猿島郡五霞町川妻 / Kawatsuma, Goka, Sashima District, Ibaraki



石室は幅2m、長さ7m、室内の高さは約2mで、中はひょうたん型になっており、中央部両側に長さ1.5m、30cm角の門石で前室と奥室とに区切られている横穴式石室である。 整形された軽石をレンガ積みして石室の側壁が作られたり、奥壁に五輪の塔のような板状の石があてられたり、特異な構造を示している。古墳時代終末期の造営と考えられるが関東地方には例が少なく、学術上貴重なものである。 1971（昭和46）年3月29日、茨城県の史跡に指定された。
(wikipedia)

. kofun jidai 古墳時代 burial mound period - 250 to 538 .

- - - - - and

ana no Yakushi 穴の薬師　Yakushi with holes, Yakushi for holes
at 熊谷市樋春 Hiharu, Kumagaya, Saitama


at the 川島薬師堂 Kawajima Yakushido Hall
Yakushi helps with the "holes" in your body, especially the eyed and mouth.
People try to grind a hole in a larger stone and bring it as offering to pray for healing.




::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



Yakushi Nyorai 薬師如来 and legends from Ehime 愛媛県

.......................................................................
今治市 Imabari

enko エンコ Kappa
Once a man named 与一 Yoichi went to work on his field near 薬師堂 the Yakushido Hall. A kappa showed up and asked him for a bout of Sumo wrestling.
Yoichi agreed, but first went into the hall and ate some of お仏飯 the food offerings. The Kappa had observed this and ran away in great fear.

- - - - -

Once a man was late coming home from his work at the town hall. A woman with her hair combed in the Shimada style came toward him and invited him:
"Let's go to the Yakushi Hall and have some fun!"
He went home and told his family: "I am going to the Yakushi Hall now, but first give me some water!"
His daughter thought this was strange, gave him some tea and did not let him go.
In such a case, it is never good to give drinking water to a bewitched person.


. shimada 島田 Shimada-style hair - Introduction .


.......................................................................
城辺町 Johen

The statue of Yakushi Nyorai at 若宮神社 Wakamiya Jinja is from the time of Sakuragi Ho Shinno 桜木法親王, who passed here with his entourage and a high priest had carried the statue on his back, when it fell down. Once a priest came from 別府 Beppu and wanted to carry it back home, but he just could not pass the gate. The priest grumbled a lot and went back home, but he died soon after.
All people who want to take this statue away will only live for a short while after.

.......................................................................
松山市 Matsuyama

ikuji no juhoo 育児の呪法 spells to bring up a baby
Mumbling inoko inoko 犬の子 "child of a dog" helps to calm a crying baby.
(A pun with yoi ko, to be a good child.)
If a baby cries all night, it is good to paint a cock and make this an offering to
O Yakushi sama 尾薬師様 (Yakushi with a tail, another pun with the honorable  O御),


.......................................................................
西条市 Saijo

Yakushi San takes away warts, and helps mothers to produce milk for their babies.
After making a wish and getting help, the person has to paint an octopus as an offering.


.......................................................................
四国中央市 Shikoku Chuo Town

. ibotori 疣取り / イボ取り / いぼとり take away warts .
It is best to pray to 水神 Suijin the Water Deity and to Yakushi for healing. If healed, one has to bring offerings.
For Suijin it is grains of rice, for Yakushi it is matsu no fuguri 松のふぐり pine cones.
The number must be the number of the age of this person.

There are more than 30 places in Ehime related to deities taking away warts, Yakushi Nyorai is one, so is Jizo Bosatsu.


.......................................................................
宇和町 Uwacho

. Yamadaya manjuu 山田屋 饅頭 Manju Buns from Yamada .
善福寺 Temple Zenpuku-Ji 薬師堂　Yakushi-Do -　山田薬師如来


..............................................................................................................................................

- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



Join the friends on facebook !


. Yakushipedia - ABC-Index 薬師如来 .

. Yakushi Nyorai - Legends from the provinces .

. Yakushi Nyorai Pilgrimages 薬師霊場巡り - Introduction .


. O-Mamori お守り　Amulets and Talismans .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples - ABC List .


[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　. TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - - #yakushilegends #yakushichiba #yakushiehime #ibotori - - -
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::